Losses in the wake of the fire at the Buckle and Tier Ultra Lounge are above the million-dollar mark, according to Lloydminster Fire Chief Jordan Newton.
The blaze, which took place on Thursday night, led to significant smoke and heat damage to the building holding the two businesses. Structural damage was also incurred, with the roof line sagged, following the incident, a number of trusses damaged.
Newton told 106.1 The Goat on Monday he believes the losses will be around $1.5 million, with half going towards the building itself and the other half going towards the contents. However, the news was not all bad, as Newtown also said he thinks the structure will be salvageable, after structural engineers examine the damaged trusses.
A clear cause for the fire remains unknown. Newton said investigators have narrowed down the starting area for the blaze, which is believed to have started on the southwest side of the building, in the office areas of the Buckle.
Reached on Friday for comment about the fire, Buckle and Tier Ultra Lounge general manager Travis Quesnel said he was still in shock about what had happened.
“We’re sad that it happened, and we want to get back open, and start servicing the community again,” said Quesnel.
A firm timeline on the re-opening of the two businesses is not yet available.